Arboretum Day 2025
Arboretum Day 2025 was an unforgettable celebration of community, creativity, and hands-on stewardship—even in pouring rain! Over 100 students, community members, and volunteers came together to care for Sehome Arboretum, participating in activities that supported ecological restoration and environmental education. Volunteers removed 2 cubic yards of invasive species and planted native plants, directly contributing to the health and resilience of this cherished community space. These restoration efforts are vital for preserving biodiversity, improving ecosystem function, and fostering a sense of connection to the land.
Participants also explored the Arboretum through guided hikes—three bird-watching hikes, three ecology hikes, and one geology hike—deepening their understanding of local ecosystems. In addition, the day celebrated creativity and culture through artwork led by Sean Whipp’s mother, including plant prints on clothing and lino-cutting projects, allowing participants to express their connection to the Arboretum in tangible, artistic ways. Guests shared poetry, told stories, and enjoyed live music performed by the Mt. Baker String Band, with many joining in dancing to the music. The WWU Outdoor Center, Whatcom Land Trust, Sustainability Engagement Institute, and Salish Sea Institute generously provided canopy cover, keeping volunteers and activities sheltered throughout the event.
Volunteers also enjoyed delicious food thanks to generous local partners, including bagels from The Bagelry, bread from Great Harvest Bread, and nut butters and jams provided by the Community Food Co-op. Despite the rain, the combination of hands-on restoration, educational hikes, artistic activities, music, and shared meals created a joyful, communal atmosphere that strengthened connections between participants and the Arboretum.
Thanks to your support, Arboretum Day 2025 inspired students and community members to care for local ecosystems while fostering a strong sense of community and stewardship. Your contributions make events like this possible, and we are incredibly grateful for your generosity as we continue building community, creativity, and hands-on ecological learning.
Planning the Environmental Club Showcase
We are excited to share an update on the Environmental Club Showcase! This semester, we have been busy planning the event, bringing together multiple student environmental clubs and community partners to celebrate sustainability, restoration, and climate action on campus. We have formed a planning committee led by student representatives from each club, ensuring that every group has a voice in the event’s design and activities. This collaboration reflects our commitment to shared leadership and creating a showcase that is engaging, inclusive, and meaningful for both students and the broader community.
In addition to organizing logistics, we successfully secured a $1,000 Sustainability, Equity, and Justice Fund (SEJF) grant to support the event. These funds will help cover expenses such as materials for interactive demonstrations, food for volunteers, and speaker honoraria. We are also coordinating with community partners, including local conservation organizations, to provide students with opportunities to learn about restoration projects and ways to get involved in hands-on stewardship.
Thanks to your generous support, the club can continue to foster connections between students and local environmental initiatives. We are thrilled about the upcoming showcase and the chance to highlight the incredible work being done by student leaders in sustainability and ecological restoration. Your contributions make it possible for us to create an event that inspires students to take action and care for the ecosystems around them.
Work party with LEAD (11/21/24, 2pm-4pm)
Removed Invasive English Ivy from behind commissary building (on campus).
16 members attended!
Work party with Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association. (11/23/24, 9am-12pm)
planted 300 native trees and shrubs along Terrell Creek.
15 members attended!
Work party. First official work party organized and led by our Club! (11/22/24, 2:30pm-4:30pm)
Removed 4 cubic yards of invasive English Ivy and English Holly from the NE side of campus in Sehome Arboretum.
13 members attended!
Work party with Whatcom Million trees (11/23/24, 12pm-3pm)
Planted native trees at Wildlife rehab center
2 members attended, it was their second work party of the day!
Work party. Collaboration between LEAD, our club and Happy Valley Neighborhood Association. (11/16/24, 11am-2pm)
Removed invasive thistle, teasel, and blackberry in community native pollinator garden
9 members attended!
Weather: 38 degrees, pouring rain, 15-20mph wind.
About LEAD, LEAD | College of the Environment | Western Washington University
HVNA – Official website of the Happy Valley Neighborhood Association, Bellingham, WA
Work party. A collaboration between Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition and Whatcom land trust. (11/16/24, 9am-12pm)
Planted native trees and shrubs at Padden Galbraith Mountain trailhead.
10 members attended!
Stewardship Advocacy Education | Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition | United States
Work party. A collaboration between Nooksack salmon enhancement association and Whatcom land trust (11/9/2024, 9am-12pm)
Spread mulch along Kenney creek river to increase the soil health before planting trees next year. In support of salmon and stream health.
11 members attended.
Work party with Nooksack salmon enhancement association, Orca Day (10/19/2024, 9am-12pm)
Our first party attended with the newly founded club. We planted native trees and shrubs on a stretch of California Creek in support of salmon and orca habitat.
14 members attended!
Club meeting featuring guest speaker Stephen Nyman (12/04/24)
This meeting discussed upcoming ecological restoration projects in the community, our Viking funder page and our upcoming collaboration with the newly founded tea club.
The guest speaker featured was Stephen Nyman. "A PhD ecologist and herpetologist with 50 years of research survey and research experience" (Stephen Nyman — North Cascades Institute ). He talked about the project he is leading in Whatcom County whose goal is to protect the endangered Oregon Spotted frog, discussing the difficulties of restoring a highly degraded wetland overtaken by invasive Reed canary grass to provide habitat for these beautiful frogs. To learn more, you can visit these sites:
Hoping for a Hopping Success — The Planet Magazine
Endangered Frog Finds Hope in Whatcom County — Klipsun Magazine
The meeting had a total of 33 attendees. It included sweet baked goods kindly donated by Great Harvest Bakery in Bellingham, and more than enough pizza for all attendees!!
Club meeting featuring John McLaughlin (11/20/24) 6pm-7pm
This meeting discussed upcoming local work parties to attend and our Viking funder page (who we have had so many supportive people graciously donate to).
The meeting featured guest speaker WWU Professor and PhD John McLaughlin. He discussed the urgent need to remove damns in the United States, as the majority are almost at their 150-age failure limit. He talked about the process of restoring degraded rivers after damn removals. This was an enlightening topic that is rarely talked about. To find out more about John McLaughlin visit his Website .
This meeting was another success with 39 attendees. It included pizza and sweet treats funded by valuable donations
Club meeting featuring Emily Segura with Whatcom Land Trust (11/06/24) 5pm-6pm
The meeting discussed our official schedule for the quarter such as what work parties we would be attending. The discord was introduced which will be used for communication between members.
The meeting also featured guest speakers Emily Segura and Bryce Auburn, who work with Whatcom Land Trust whose main goal is to conserving land in the Whatcom County. (To find out more visit whatcomlandtrust.org ). This was a great opportunity for members to find out more about internship opportunities and learn more about local organizations that ecological restore our environment.
Our second official meeting was another success with 44 people attending. Pizza was provided.
1st official club meeting (10/23/2024)
Had our first official club meeting. It was a success with around 40 people showing up.
The leaders did an introduction then presented what the potential goals of the club were.
Free pizza was included!
$10
Snacks for small work parties
Provides snacks at work parties with less than 40 volunteers
$25
Fuel reimbursement
Provides fuel reimbursements for carpools to volunteer restoration work parties.
$50
Snacks for large work parties
Provides snacks for work parties with over 40 volunteers
$100
Meal for weekly meeting
Provides students with a meal during our weekly evening meeting
$250
Club restoration projects
Provides funds for invasive species removal in the Sehome Arboretum, and allows us to purchase native plants to replace invasives, ensuring ecological recovery.
$500
Speaker Series
Our speaker series connects students with local organizations and bridges the gap between students and the professional world of ecological restoration. Your funding goes to supporting providing honoraria for notable guest speakers.
$1,000
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
This generous donation supports the long-term vision of our club, impacting hundreds of WWU students in the field of ecological restoration. It also makes you a member of the WWU President's Society, with benefits such as campus parking and events!
